Greenpath: Permits were obtained, No reason for the fire

The company that owns the chemical storage facility that initially caught fire on Friday has stated that it had obtained the necessary permits by MNDF to store chemicals and that there was no reason why the fire should have occurred.

Ibrahim Nasheed, Operations Manager of Greenpath Maldives Pvt Ltd, which owns the storage facility stated to "Sun" that the facility was used under permission from MNDF and that MNDF had inspected the site in May and renewed the permit.

"MNDF permitted us because the safety standards were maintained at the site. They checked whether fire extinguishers are installed and the electricity boards are at a safe distance from the goods,"

"MNDF gave the permit to store chemicals after inspecting the site stating that everything was good. We are not storing anything against the regulations," said Nasheed.

Defense Minister Mariya had also stated yesterday that the site had been inspected in May. 

The facility had been housing swimming pool chemicals, laundry detergents, tile cleaner chemicals and types of water plant chemicals. Nasheed stated that they were safe chemicals and that as a safety precaution, the facility did not have electricity as well. He then stated that there was no reason why the place should catch fire.

He stated that employees entered the facility last Wednesday and that some goods were moved out of the facility on that day. Nasheed then stated that there was a chance that the fire might have occurred in a storage facility behind Greenpath's facility and stated that he doubted the statements that point to the company's facility as the original point of the fire.

Nasheed stated that efforts by the company to obtain a storage facility in Thilafushi had been unsuccessful.

"We asked for land to build a go down in Thilafushi during a recent meeting with defense officials. We had requested on previous occasions as well. But now we are being blamed for this incident. We (the company) do not want to do anything against the law. We have never done such a thing." said Nasheed.

The government has decided in an emergency meeting in the aftermath of the fire on Friday to move all the chemical facilities in the capital to Thilafushi immediately.